When we talk about service excellence, we often talk about going “above and beyond” or “the extra mile” to complete transactions and help clients’ real estate dreams come true. As important as it is to be proactive in real estate, it’s also important to recognize certain limitations and lines that should be respected when working with clients. Identifying and honoring boundaries is important from an interpersonal perspective and may help you gain clients’ trust and build relationships. Here are some of the boundaries to consider:
Budget
A buyer’s price range is a firm boundary that an agent should always respect, even if it makes finding a suitable property difficult. Always counsel clients to seek financial advice and mortgage pre-approvals to be completely comfortable with their budget. Have honest discussions with your clients about the pros and cons of looking at properties that may fall outside the given range. By honoring your client’s budget boundaries, you will demonstrate that you are listening to their needs and have their best long-term interests at heart.
Timeframe
Sticking as closely as possible to your clients’ transaction timeframes is also an important boundary. While certain timing factors may be out of your control along the way, you should always work to meet their expressed timeframes with the things you can control and with the requests you make to show that you are considerate of their needs.
Schedule
Learn your clients’ work and family schedules and respect their wishes about when to contact them. Ask if there is any time off-limits for phone calls or messages and find out their preferred manner of communication. For example, if you know that your clients regularly attend religious services on certain days or times, hold that phone call or text message during those periods. Or, if you are dealing with a busy family, avoid trying to reach them during the busy after-school dinner rush.
Personal information
Some clients may be open books when to sharing information about their lives, while others may be more circumspect and guarded. Avoid pressing clients with questions about a subject if they show any hesitancy or reluctance to answer.
Personal space
Being sensitive to clients when you’re in their homes as well as during showings can help them feel more comfortable. Listing a home and inviting strangers in for showings can feel intrusive to some people. You can even help clients set their own personal space boundaries by encouraging them to secure confidential information during showings and to de-personalize the space by taking family photos and other identifying details.
HSA home warranties can actually help you define some important post-closing boundaries for clients. When clients have HSA protection, they’ll call HSA for help with covered issues, not the agent or the seller. In addition, your clients will have a plan for dealing with unexpected, covered home system and appliance component breakdowns due to normal wear and tear. To find out more about how HSA home warranties can add value to every real estate transaction, contact your HSA Account Manager or visit onlinehsa.com today.